Summary
Overview
Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library.
Department of Grounds and Buildings Subject Files
7.14 linear feet, 17 archival boxes
Abstract
The Department of Grounds and Buildings Subject Files contain information relating to the buildings, grounds, and architects of Princeton University. They also include information on the development of the campus and the various chronologies of construction and land acquisition that have been gathered.
Description
Description
The series consists primarily of photocopies from university publications (most notably The Nassau Lit, The Daily Princetonian, The Princeton College Bulletin, The Princeton Weekly Bulletin, and the Princeton Alumni Weekly) and regional newspapers (including The New York Times, The Princeton Herald, The Princeton Packet, and Town Topics) about University buildings, grounds, and architects of Princeton University. Other printed materials include insurance surveys, press releases from the Department of Public Information, and programs from dedication ceremonies. Less frequently, there are general interoffice correspondence; schematic floor plans; student papers; excerpts from books on architects; excerpts from the Trustees Minutes; campus maps or diagrams; bibliographic references; and invitations to ceremonies.
This collection also contains information pertaining to several buildings in the town that have been connected with the University in some way – some owned by the University, some owned by faculty members, some tied by the University through historical events. There is also a limited amount of information on the buildings used or owned by the privately operated eating clubs on Prospect Avenue.
The coverage of the collection is weakest for the earliest and most recent buildings, with the exception of Nassau Hall. The construction booms under Presidents McCosh (1868-1888) and Hibben (1910-1932) enjoy a proportionate amount of documentation. The selections from the “Olla-Podrida” in The Nassau Lit, in the late 19th century, are a gold mine of student opinion on the buildings from that time.
Collection Creator
History
The College of New Jersey was initially chartered in 1746. The first classes were held in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in the parsonage of the president, the Reverend Jonathan Dickinson. Upon his death, the College moved to Newark, New Jersey, and was headed by the Reverend Aaron Burr, Sr. Classes were held both in his home and a small room above the local courthouse. In 1756, upon the sufficient completion of a new edifice in Princeton, the College moved south to that town and has remained there since. The first building, Nassau Hall, was one of the largest structures in the Colonies at that time. It was the first of many buildings on the campus to become noteworthy for their architecture, size, beauty, or exemplification of a particular style. As has been the case with other rural campuses less disturbed by urban changes or population explosions, and rooted in appreciation of tradition, many of Princeton's earliest buildings have been preserved. Although the Princeton campus does not provide an encyclopedic representation of America's architectural heritage, the Colonial, Victorian, Collegiate Gothic, and Post-Modern periods are well represented. Due to the diverse needs of the student body, Princeton's architecture incorporates a range of functional types, including lecture halls, dormitories, athletic facilities, and laboratories.
Collection History
Acquisition
Varnum Lansing Collins, Class of 1892 and Secretary of the University (1917-1936), started the Historical Subject Files as a reference for his historical writing interests. An author of a history of the University and a guide to the campus and town, Collins collected a wide variety of materials pertaining to these topics. Eventually the files were transferred to the University Archives where staff continue to add to established files and create new headings. Originally stored in vertical filing cabinets, when files pertaining to particular topics grew significantly, they were removed to separate boxes. Over time, archives staff have removed multi-box portions concerning a single subject from the main body of files. The Department of Grounds and Buildings Files is one example. Many of the papers within the Department of Grounds and Buildings Files have been annotated by Collins, Earle Coleman (former University Archivist), or Gerald Breese (author of Princeton University Land, 1756-1984).
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Sara Bush in summer 1994. Finding aid written by Sara Bush in summer 1994.
Access and Use
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research use.
Use Restrictions
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the collection must be requested from the University Archivist. Copyright is held by the Trustees of Princeton University.
Preferred Citation
Department of Grounds and Buildings Subject Files; 1802-1994, Princeton University Archives, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library.
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